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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/30099414">A is for Ashtanga, not Ass</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/forsekais/pseuds/forsekais'>forsekais</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>EXO (Band)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - Yoga, Author Jongin, M/M, Romance, Slow Burn, Yoga Instructor Sehun, but she'll try, the writer knows nothing about yoga</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-03-17</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-03-17</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-15 22:47:51</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>3,208</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/30099414</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/forsekais/pseuds/forsekais</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Determined to score a date with his crush, Jongin signs up for yoga classes. He doesn't expect the instructor to be <i> this </i> hot.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Kim Jongin | Kai/Oh Sehun</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>3</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>146</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>A is for Ashtanga, not Ass</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>My boss tells me I need to submit an annual budget plan next week, so out of panic, I sit down and begin my first attempt at a multi-chaptered fic. Please let me know what you think ♡ </p><p>Happy birthday Mon ( ◡‿◡ *) This is the -virtual- gift I mentioned :P</p><p> <a href="https://twitter.com/forsekais"> Twitter </a></p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p> </p><p>Sunset is Jongin’s favorite time of the day. From the window of his apartment, he can watch the sun illuminate a shimmering path across the river and bathe the sky in a burning red. He has a direct view of the best spot on the riverwalk, a favorite of all dog owners in the neighborhood, which means he can watch the puppies in their cuteness glory. It also means he can see Minseok, his favorite dog owner, who has the most edible apple bottom in the universe and loves to wear green biker shorts to show off his asset.</p><p><em>Minseok is perfect</em>, Jongin sighs dreamily as Minseok begins his squat routine while his dog, a golden retriever named Lily, sits quietly by his side. It would have been a picture perfect if Jongin could be a part of it. He has known Minseok for two years and harbored a gigantic crush on the guy for one year and a half, since that particularly bad day when he suffered the worst writer’s block and mental breakdown, and Minseok’d come to his rescue with homemade kimchi jjigae and cookies <em>and</em> Lily. He’s been trying to flirt with his handsome neighbor so many times, but his efforts are in vain because Minseok always laughs it off, or chooses a very subtle way to change the topic.</p><p>But in all honesty, Minseok is out of Jongin’s league. Minseok is a sought-after criminal lawyer; he became a partner at a prestigious law firm at the age of 28, owns real estate in three major cities in South Korea and co-runs a foundation that helps vulnerable children get access to education. Jongin is a newly debut novelist with an apartment that he splits rent with Chanyeol, his best friend. The reason they can afford a unit in the same building with Minseok is because the one they’re staying at belongs to Chanyeol’s cousin, who went to New York for her PhD program and let them rent at a much lower cost.</p><p>“You should just ask him out,” Chanyeol’s voice pipes up from behind, jerking Jongin out of his Minseok-induced reverie. He almost drops his mug, but Chanyeol is faster than Quicksilver, already surging forward to catch the mug before it gets to the floor.</p><p>“Wow,” Jongin blinks. “You’re fast.”</p><p>“Years living with a clumsy head like you taught me things,” Chanyeol snorts. He pulls a chair and sits down next to Jongin. “Hey, his ass does look bigger? Hard squats pay off.”</p><p>Jongin hisses. “Stay away from my man.”</p><p>“He’s not going to be your man if you keep doing nothing like this,” Chanyeol muses. “Seriously, Nini, a date is the easiest you could do? He invites you over for dinner all the time, you can just ask if he wants to go watch a movie with you?”</p><p>Chanyeol makes it sound so simple because he has the look and the personality. When they were in primary school, they went to a zoo together and Chanyeol befriended the most dangerous lion within 5 minutes. So, for him, connecting to people is easier. Jongin isn’t like that. Give him 5 minutes and he’ll drop something or stutter like a fool in front of the man he likes. Besides, he doesn’t want a boring date. Jongin is not the type to go on dates just to score a second date in bed; he wants it to be a chance to know about each other. The process of learning about someone through good, meaningful conversations is fun.</p><p>“I don’t even know what to talk about,” Jongin sighs. Their conversations over dinner are often initiated by Minseok, and Jongin would ask him to talk about his work, and his stories are so cool that they leave Jongin breathless. Then, when it’s Jongin’s turn he couldn’t find anything to say to make him feel like he’s on par with amazing, intelligent, successful Minseok. “I’m just an incoherent mess every time I’m around him. He tolerates me because he thinks I’m a child. How do you even talk to your crush?”</p><p>Chanyeol lifts an eyebrow seductively. “With my junior,” he smirks, motioning to his dick.</p><p>Jongin winces. “Ew. No. Not your dick.”</p><p>“Your loss,” Chanyeol says smugly. They resume watching Minseok run laps with Lily. That’s another special thing about Minseok — he works 12 hours a day and still manages to find time to work out, cook and take care of his cozy balcony garden while Jongin handwashes his shirts for two hours and calls Chanyeol home to give him an arm massage because “<em>hyung, my arms are going to fall off and I’m gonna die”</em>. “You know, for starters, you could talk to him about something he likes? People love it when someone pays attention to what they enjoy. It’s a good icebreaker. Remember Jongdae?” Jongdae was Chanyeol’s high school ex. When they first started dating, no one believed it because Jongdae was the prime role model, heir to a conglomerate, top grades and president of student council and royalty bloodline, all that stuff while Chanyeol had curly long hair and ran away to Hongkong to join a gang, until his mother threatened to give his puppy away. “He hated me at first, but then I bribed his friend and found out that he loves painting. Arts. So, for our first date I took him to the art museum and talked about Van Gogh and you knew what happened next.”</p><p>What happened next is something Jongin never wants to remember because Chanyeol, high from adrenaline, had sent him a very graphical detailed description. “Minseok hyung is on another level. He plays golf and drives luxurious cars and watches Oscar-winning movies. Me? I love High School Musical.”</p><p>“A legend,” Chanyeol nods. He seems to think for a moment before he slaps Jongin so hard on the back Jongin feels like his lungs almost fall out of his mouth. “What the fuck, Chanyeol?”</p><p>“I remember!” Chanyeol says, excited. “That’s it! I was about to tell you last week but work came up and I forgot. You should do yoga.”</p><p>Jongin gapes. “I’m not spending two hours to bend like a willow!”</p><p>“Bend like <em>bamboo</em>,” Chanyeol corrects. “And you are going to spend two hours a day, three days a week, doing that. Do you know yoga is Minseok’s newfound interest?”</p><p>“I’m absolutely not — what did you say?”</p><p>“My coworker’s new girlfriend owns a yoga studio downtown. She joined us for lunch last week and when I mentioned Minseok, she recognized him instantly because he’s a new student at her studio. Very enthusiastic. She said he often stayed after class for extra practice. And before you start doubting me, your extraordinary buddy, yes, I showed her a picture and she confirmed it. They are close — he talked to her about his work and how yoga helped him destress and even joked about how he wished he could have a yoga partner.”</p><p>Jongin has never done yoga before. It’s so painfully slow, definitely not his style. “Are you sure because—”</p><p>“It seems like the easiest chance to have something in common with Minseok, no?” Chanyeol says. As much as Jongin hates the idea of spending hours on a mat to touch the inside of his right elbow to the outside of his left knee, Chanyeol is right. Jongin doesn’t want to give up High School Musical for 12 Years A Slave, but he really, really likes Minseok, and this could be a good start.</p><p>Besides, his back pain starts to get worse lately so he may benefit from a couple stretches. Also, imagine Minseok in yoga pants—</p><p>“Please wipe your mouth,” Chanyeol says, sounding more amused than disgusted.</p><p>“So….” Jongin says.</p><p>“So,” Chanyeol nods. “I got the special discounted price for you. She said this promotion price only applied to a 1-year package, but you could have it with a 3-month one. Transferable too. Let’s say you somehow score a date after one month, if you don’t want to continue the classes, you can resell it to someone else. I went all out to get you the best deal to finish deep breathing and start panting.”</p><p>“I love you,” Jongin slides off his chair to wrap his arms around Chanyeol’s shoulders, cuddling him.</p><p>Chanyeol shifts to make space for Jongin in his lap. “Me too. Wanna go visit the studio tomorrow?”</p><p> </p><p>*</p><p>When Jongin runs into Minseok at the trash room that night, he blurts out, “Hyung, I’m thinking of joining a yoga class.”</p><p>Minseok blinks, once, twice, before his lips stretch into a smile, brighter than the sun and Jongin could hear birds singing songs. “That’s great, Jongin! I’ve been doing yoga for two months. It’s amazing. I know this studio downtown, they’re new but the instructors are wonderful.” He whips out his phone. “Wait, let me send you the address.”</p><p>Jongin wisely chooses to not tell Minseok he already knows the address, for the sake of receiving another message with cute emojis from his crush. “Thank you, hyung.”</p><p>Minseok flashes him another gummy smile. “No problem. I have a call now but let’s catch up later?” He reaches out to pat Jongin’s shoulder. “Maybe we can go to a yoga class together someday. Go check it out.”</p><p>Minseok probably means the yoga studio, but as the elder turns around to leave, Jongin checks out his plump peaches instead.</p><p>Well, now yoga doesn’t sound so bad.</p><p> </p><p>*</p><p><em>Good Vibes Yoga</em> is a studio tucked away in a quaint corner. It takes a bit of time to commute — thirty minutes from where Jongin lives, but the neighborhood is quiet and peaceful. It’s a stunning space with a black and white, neutral color scheme interior. Its white walls and light wood flooring exude a refreshing sense of calm. The receptionist gives Jongin a tour around the space and introduces about the range of classes they offer.</p><p>“We have a diverse range of traditional-meets-modern classes to meet your needs,” she says. “You can choose from base flow, candlelit hip hop yoga, HIIT Pilates, calisthenics floorwork stretching, and of course, the traditional yoga movement for all ages, all genders!”</p><p>“Cool!” says Jongin, trying to match the enthusiasm in her voice. “I’ll have that. The...traditional yoga movement.”</p><p>“Sure,” she jots down some notes on what Jongin assumes is his membership registration form. “If you don’t mind, may I ask what brings you to yoga?”</p><p>It’s Minseok’s delicious peaches, but strangers are not eligible for such honesty. “My back pain,” Jongin says instead.</p><p>The receptionist looks at him solemnly. “I feel that,” she lets out a long sigh. “I’m 25 but my back pain makes me feel like I’m 82 sometimes.”</p><p>After the tour, the receptionist takes him back to the main lobby where he’s asked to fill out some forms. She also shows him how to book classes through their mobile app. Booking via phone is also accepted, but using the app is more convenient as classes fill up quickly.</p><p>By the time Jongin walks out of Good Vibes Yoga, he has two classes booked for next week — a Vinyasa class with Seulgi, Minseok’s instructor and Chanyeol’s colleague’s girlfriend, and a Hatha class, per the receptionist’s recommendation, with an instructor named Oh Sehun. A guy.</p><p>There are not many men who choose to become yoga instructors. <em>Probably someone who dresses like a senile grandfather or even worse, someone who is actually a grandfather and decides to teach some stretching moves and bonds well with the soccer moms in those classes</em>, Jongin concludes.</p><p>“It’s just a class, Nini,” Chanyeol shrugs when Jongin tells him his theory about Oh Sehun. “Besides, don’t you like older men?”</p><p>“It’s not like that!” Jongin squeaks indignantly. Chanyeol just cackles. It reminds Jongin of those villains in the horror movies he’s been binge watching. He hopes he doesn’t have nightmares about it.</p><p> </p><p>*</p><p>Oh Sehun is not an old guy. He’s young, and more concerningly, he’s very, very attractive.</p><p>On the day of his Hatha class, Jongin shows up twenty minutes early. He has borrowed Chanyeol’s mat, a thick blue one for optimal grip, and comes in early with the intention of claiming the spot in the very back of the room, as far from the instructor and the experienced students as possible, since he doesn’t want to embarrass himself. The hallway smells like jasmine. Jongin carefully follows the receptionist’s instruction and heads towards the room at the right end of the first floor. He slides the door open, ready to enjoy a few quiet minutes by himself, and—</p><p>“Oh my god.”</p><p>The guy, who later reveals to be Sehun, is mid pose, his legs split in the air as he holds himself up with one arm. He’s wearing heather grey yoga pants and a black racerback athletic tank top, the soft material clinging to his sweaty skin. His hair is long, but he ties it into apple hair. And his bum. Jongin suddenly feels self-conscious and reaches around to touch his own butt, which would look flat like a pancake compared to what this guy is packing.</p><p>If Jongin drops his water bottle to the wooden floor, it’s gravity’s fault. Not his.</p><p>“Hello,” the guy lifts his gaze to meet Jongin’s. “I’m Sehun, a yoga instructor here.”</p><p>He lowers himself back down slightly, the change in position has his tank top hike up unintentionally and Jongin catches the whole moment, witnessing the muscles of toned stomach and arms.</p><p>“Hello,” Sehun greets again. “Is there anything I can help you with?”</p><p>“Uhm...S-Sehun. Sehun, right?” Jongin splutters. “What...what are you doing?”</p><p>“It’s called Eka Hasta Vrksasana, more commonly known as the One-Handed Tree pose,” Sehun says smoothly. “Do you like it?”</p><p>“Haha,” Jongin laughs nervously. “I’ll break my back before I’m able to do it.”</p><p>“Well, everyone has to start at some point,” Sehun hums as he sits down, linking his hands behind his back and begins to stretch his muscles. He looks completely at zen, though his eyebrows are intimidatingly impressive. “How did you get here?”</p><p>“It’s a long story,” Jongin plops down on the floor. “Two years ago, I had this terrible, terrible writer’s block. I felt lost, like all my stories up to that point sounded like a twisted manifestation of my fucked up childhood? I wanted a fresh start, but I didn’t know how. One night was particularly bad, I wanted to quit, you know? Then my neighbor came to help me, and I kind of fell for him hard? Emotionally, not literally, since I have good balance—”</p><p>“I mean,” Sehun says, “did you get here by car? Bus? Subway?”</p><p>“Oh,” Jongin says. The Y in Yoga probably stands for <em>You are an absolute failure and you just dig yourself a grave</em>. “By bus.”</p><p>“Mmmh,” Sehun says. He brings his legs over his head for another insane, delicious stretch, tightening his abs. Jongin gulps. This is not what he signs up for. He had expected an older, bald guy, directing his students toward an hour of deep breathing and toes touching. Yoga is for relaxation. Not...more stress.</p><p>Though he doesn’t know exactly what kind of stress. Sehun’s yoga pants kind of cling...to his ass? Jongin feels suffocated. Figuratively.</p><p>“Don’t you…” Jongin starts, his voice way hoarser than he ever thought possible, “...have a class to teach?”</p><p>“I do,” Sehun says airily. He has a lovely, smooth voice. His skin is glowing, and his lips. No, Jongin, pay attention. “You don’t mind if I prepare for the class here?”</p><p>Jongin shakes his head furiously, mostly for himself to flush out unnecessary thoughts. Sehun rises to his feet, takes a towel from his duffel bag to wipe his sweat. He moves his green mat to the front of the room, then puts his water bottle and headphones away.</p><p>Then without a word, he grabs the hem of his racerback tank top, and in one swift movement, takes it off. The light reflects on milky skin and lithe muscles like diamonds, Sehun’s well defined collarbones are beautifully structured for perfection in a way Jongin couldn’t fathom.</p><p>If Jongin could breathe at all, let alone deeply, he would. But he couldn’t. The gay part of Jongin’s brain is taking over the rest of his brain.</p><p>“Do you do this in front of all of your students?”</p><p>Sehun runs a hand through his luscious locks. Before he could give Jongin an answer, the door opens, and a group of women come in. They are regulars; Jongin can tell from the way Sehun greets them and they launch into a conversation about something that happened last week.</p><p>Sehun sits cross-legged on the mat with a speaker set up in the front, greeting everyone with a serene smile on his face, and it doesn’t take long for Jongin to realize that the class is full, despite its 2 PM time slot. The most crowded slots would be the early morning classes, or the late evening ones. Classes that take place during business hours like Sehun’s Hatha class usually have less students; that’s why Jongin decided to sign up in the first place. He wants a quiet atmosphere where he could concentrate and even when he embarrasses himself by grunting his way to awkward body-contorting poses, at least it doesn’t happen in front of a big group of people.</p><p>“Hello everyone,” Sehun begins, deep brown eyes scanning the room. The girl next to Jongin blushes. “How are you feeling today?”</p><p>Quiet whispers echo around the room and Jongin can understand why the class is full. The reason has his hands folded in his lap, his voice goes lower, smoother as he goes through the poses in today’s class. It is hypnotizing.</p><p>“Are any of you new?” Sehun asks. Jongin looks to his left, then his right, then the row in front of him, and after a slightly awkward pause, tentatively raises his hand. Great. He’s the only one, and the tiny smile on Sehun’s face tells Jongin his instructor knows about it. “Welcome to my class! I’m Sehun, and if this is your first time, don’t worry about doing any moves that look too scary. Yoga is for everyone.”</p><p>He goes on to stare at Jongin intently, and Jongin subtly squirms and tries to think about that time in high school where Chanyeol attempted to cosplay Mariah Carey and wore a sequin dress. The traumatic memory somehow calms his racing heart.</p><p>“Alright,” Sehun says. “Please remember that if you want to take a break, please sit or lie down on your mat instead of leaving. It’s not a competition here. And it’s totally okay to take it slow. Now, let’s start with Tadasana, or the mountain pose.”</p><p>Sehun goes on to explain how the mountain pose is the essential of all the standing yoga asanas and how it helps body posture. He then turns around for a demonstration. When he turns his upper thighs inwards, creating a widening of the sit bones, and tells everyone to “<em>look ahead and fix your gaze at a single point for balance</em>”, Jongin, like the majority of the class, focuses his eyes on Sehun’s perky, toned ass.</p><p>Maybe this whole yoga thing is more complicated than Jongin had originally thought.</p><p> </p>
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